Cake Walk
by Shara1
Summary: Akira finds himself on one of Souh's training courses much to his delight (Revised)


Title: Cake Walk  
Series: Clamp School Detectives  
Parings: Cannon  
Rating: G   
  
The Clamp artists own CCD and this story not meant to infringe on that ownership. It was written for entertainment purposes only.  
  
A huffing sound filled the bright morning air as a thin young man with long navy hair tied back with a leather thong, ran headlong down a beaten dirt path in the oriental garden of the Takamura residence. Pitfalls, sharpened wooden spikes, and a water trap blended seamlessly into the greenery, leaving nothing to alert the unwary of the impending danger. Takamura Kye knew they were there, but had no idea where or when he might encounter one. He threw his arms out to the left to try and balance himself as he leaned away from the wall of spikes that burst up out of the ground right in front of him. By turning his head, he narrowly succeeded in avoiding the sharp points.   
  
Leaning against the old style house the heir of the Takamura household watched his cousin with a calm expression on his strong hansom face. A taller man with short cut sapphire hair and golden eyes, Suoh winced inwardly as the wooden poles slapped into Kye's face. He knew from experience that his cousin would survive the injury, but there would most certainly be a souvenir bruise from the encounter. "He's not ready for this level of training yet. But would he listen to me? Of course not, he would rather beat himself up than listen to me."  
  
"Kye wants to believe that he's better than I am, even though he doesn't apply himself the way I do. He seems to be convinced that the only reason I am the future head of the Takamuras is because of an accident of birth. Despite what he may think, being born the heir of the family doesn't automatically grant a person authority. I've had to earn the respect of the clan. If he would only take his training more seriously, I am sure he could do the same." Shaking his head slightly Suoh rolled his eyes heavenward as Kye fell into one of the pitfalls that was in the Koy pond with a splash of water and resounding "Ooofff."  
  
Sighing Suoh stepped into the pond to help his cousin out. Kye stared at Suoh resentfully his long wet hair almost black with the moisture. Pale violet eyes narrowed in the pointed face as he watched his cousin approach. Ignoring the hand Suoh held out for him, Kye pushed himself up out of the water.   
  
"You set that course to be especially difficult on purpose." Kye growled ignoring the hand Suoh held out to him.  
  
"Yes, I did." Suoh admitted freely," But I had no idea you were going to try the course yourself."  
  
"Then you admit it freely." Kye jabbed a finger at Suoh in accusation. "You set up an impossible course on purpose. I can't believe you didn't know I would try it. How dare you attempt embarrassing me."  
  
"You manage to embarrass yourself well enough on your own, Kye. You don't need any help from me. Besides the course is not impossible. Difficult yes, but not impossible."  
  
"There is no way anyone could possibly manage that obstacle course. It's just too complex." Kye swung his arm behind himself to point at the start of the course. Seeing surprise flicker across his cousin's golden eyes he turned to look at the garden gate.   
  
A tall lean young man with short black hair, wearing a well tailored black suit was pushing the gate open with his back. Tucked under his left arm was a cake box. In his right hand he held a wicker basket covered with a lace cloth.   
  
Before anyone could stop him the stranger started down the course. Kye's eyes grew into saucers as the new comer easily leapt over the catch rope of the first obstacle as if he had sensed the trap. The man on the course seemed to take the fact that there was a trap in the garden in stride as he calmly continued on his way towards the house.   
  
"Akira Stop!" Suoh called out in alarm for his friend.   
  
Akira glanced up at the sound of Suoh's voice. "I can here you, Takamura senpai, but where are you?" He couldn't quite make out what his friend had as he changed directions to head towards the school secretary's voice.   
  
Cursing under his breath, Suoh climbed out of the water. From his position in the garden he could see Akira, but he knew that his friend couldn't see him. So any kind of hand signals were out of the question. Unable to get out of the pond in time to stop Akira, the ninja looked on mutely while fear froze his heart solid.   
  
Akira quickened his pace down the garden path when he caught sight of his friend standing with someone he didn't know in the koy pond. 'That's odd. Why is he in the Koy pond?' He wondered as he tried to place the person next to Suoh. It didn't really matter. Akira shrugged, 'Maybe they're feeding the fish.'   
  
He couldn't hear what Suoh was saying but he waved the basket of cookies at his senpai to let him know he had seen him. A glance across the garden set alarm bells ringing in his mind as his thieving instincts came to the fore. Something was odd about the way the garden looked. His steel grey eyes flickered towards the ground. Two steps away the dirt and leaves had been disturbed. 'A trip wire.' He decided. 'But why would there be a trip wire in Suoh's garden?'   
  
Shifting his hold on the cake box to one that was more secure, Akira jumped a good distance away from the wire, wary of traps that might have been set just after the relatively obvious trap. "Well it is obvious to me, but I suppose to someone who has less experience avoiding traps it would have been nearly invisible."  
  
A few branches in the tree ahead were leaning at an odd angle as if they had been bent the wrong way. But the branches were too high to have been bent by someone casually walking through the garden. "Ah," Akira thought to himself with a grin," This must be one of Takamura senpai's training courses. I have always wanted to try one of these. It looks like today I will get my chance."  
  
Ducking down into his stealthiest crouch, Akira was well under the weighted pendulum that swung across the path. Had he been standing straight the heavy metal would very likely have knocked him flat or worse. The next obstacle was a series of sharpened spikes that shot out of the ground. He darted around them changing directions as quickly and efficiently as a hummingbird flies. He avoided a storm of throwing darts, which rained out of the left side of the path by simply moving faster than the darts. Jumping over the pitfalls, he found himself facing his friend.  
  
A wide grin split his angular face and his silver eyes glimmered with more than sunlight as he swung the basket towards Suoh. "Ohayou gozaimasu, I brought you some cookies." Akira sang out cheerfully not a hair out of place.   
  
"Impossible," Kye looked up at Akira in utter astonishment.   
  
"Oh It's quite possible. I baked them this morning. They are chocolate mint cookies. It's a new recipe I was trying." Akira lifted the corner of the lace so Takamura senpai and his friend could see into the basket.   
  
Suoh shook his head a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. It would be hard for a stone not to be effected by Akira's bubbly manner. But something tickled the back of his mind. He knew Akira was very athletic, but the cook had just completed a very difficult training course without even seeming to realize that's what he was doing. Come to think of it, Akira had always been quite agile. He didn't move like a person who had dedicated his life to cooking and working for Clamp schools. But then, he does help look after Rijichou so maybe that explains it. Still I feel like I am missing something. "Ohayou Akira-san, but you should be more careful when visiting my home. You know I have training courses set up all over the grounds.  
  
"I know Takamura senpai, I wanted to run the course. I have never had a chance to try one of your obstacle courses before. It was fun. You're very good at designing courses. Would you consider letting me help you with the next one?" Akira's expression was hopeful as he held the basket out to Takamura senpai.   
  
Dazed by the revelation that Akira had known exactly what he was doing Suoh reached automatically into the basket drawing out one of the dark brown cookies. "Well, I can't see why not."   
  
Akira would have clapped in happiness but his hands were full so he bobbed his head in thanks, instead. "You like them?" He asked as he watched Takamura-senpai's eyes widen with pleasure at the taste of the cookie.   
  
"This is truly delicious, Akira. Have you taken any to Rijichou yet?"  
  
"No not yet, that is where I was going to go as soon as I deliver this cake to Utako for her tea party." Akira held the basket out to Kye. "Would you like a cookie?"  
  
Slapping himself in the forehead Suoh shook his head," Where are my manners? Ijyuin, this is my cousin Takamura Kye. Kye this is my friend and fellow school board member Ijyuin Akira.   
  
Eyes still round with shock Kye took one of the cookies out of the basket. "Wow, these are good."  
  
"Arigatou gozaimasu," Akira beamed at Suoh's cousin.  
  
"No Arigatou gozaimasu. Give me a moment to deactivate the traps and I'll come with you Akira." Finishing off his cookie Suoh brushed the crumbs off his hands.  
  
"Hey, what about me? I have to stay here until father comes to pick me up." Kye complained in a whiny voice as he made a face at his cousin.  
  
Suoh looked over at Kye a stern set to his face. "Then I suggest you use your time wisely and work on your training. If you do well enough when I return I will set up a course for you that's not quite as difficult."   
  
"That's thoughtful of you, Takamura senpai. How like Takamura senpai to be so generous." Akira nodded approvingly at the older man.   
  
Kye growled under his breath so Ijyuin wouldn't hear him. He didn't appreciate his cousin mentioning his inability to do this course in front of someone else. With a bow to Akira he turned to go. He didn't need to subject himself to further humiliation. "Yeah, he's quite a guy."   
  
"That he is," Akira agreed smiling at Suoh, having missed the sarcasm all together.   
  
Sighing over his cousin's behavior Suoh returned Akira's smile "Arigatou, Akira. I'll just be a second."  
  
"Hai," Akira replied in a bright voice. "Take your time. Utako is not expecting me for another half an hour or so."  
  
With one last look in the direction his cousin had left, Suoh began the work of dismantling the traps as Akira watched avidly from his position near the koy pond.   
  
The End  
  
Japanese Glossary:  
  
hai: Yes  
senpai: Someone who is above you in rank either in school or work.  
ohayou: Good Morning  
ohayou gozaimasu: A very polite good morning  
arigatou gozaimasu: a polite thank you   
rijichou: Chairman  
koy: are a kind of goldfish. They are very pretty and come in all sorts of colors. 


End file.
